Writing update

When I posted yesterday I realized I hadn't done a writing update all month. It's not because things have been going particularly well or particularly badly. Honestly, it's status quo, but I've had other things on my mind. I'm still struggling to keep my time up, but word count is less of a problem.

I learned something this week. I can't work on the same project seven days a week. (I should have learned that lesson years ago when Holly Lisle was blogging about taking a busman's holiday--I think when she was writing "Talyn".) For that matter, I can't work seven days a week, period. I need to change my goal structure to include at least one day off. I also got confirmation that the hot tub is good for plotting. The waterfall option helps a lot, but it's better when Eric is there to make affirmative sounds while I rant. Lately we've been referring to 'Sword and Scabbard' as 'The Stupid Book.'

Speak of the devil, I had a small break-through. I was stuck in the part leading up to the final battle, which Scott is writing. My battles stink, frankly; his are much better, but life is trampling all over him lately. So I was stuck and frustrated and about to do something rash (write the battle and stinkiness be damned--that's what editing is for) when I realized I could just jump over it. So I did; I made a list of the loose ends, wrote the final chapter so I know what I'm shooting for, and went on from there. I'm closer to finishing my part of the first draft than I thought. It will be a relief, but the editing is going to be a bear--a big giant grizzly. It's progress, though. Our goal is to have the first draft done by the 4th of July, when, in theory, maybe, possibly, he'll be coming up to hang out with The Boys.

Bottom line (near as I can remember, since my spreadsheet is upstairs): I'm +1,700 words, and behind about two hours. I'm changing gears today so the time should be made up, hopefully, by the end of the week.